I was accepted into Hiram College a while back for the Fall Semester of 2019. I am heavily considering going there, but I have a few questions. I hope someone can answer them for me.
What is the personality of the teachers and students?
How does the school treat students with mental illnesses?
Can you tell me about the curriculum? I’ve heard that the school has a specialized schedule, but I want to know more. Like, what classes are required for me to graduate with a degree in Creative Writing?
Thank you for your help!
Haven’t you deposited there already, with Freshman Orientation in a couple weeks?
Hiram is small and personal. Most of your classes will have fewer than 24 students, often fewer than 20. It’s rigorous - students come here to learn, not to party; but it’s very supportive and friendly. So, be ready to work hard AND to ask questions, but never ever hesitate to as for help, professors are there to help you succeed. Unlike High School, you’re in charge - you have to go to office hours, write (polite*) emails, join study groups, book a tutor. People really want you to succeed but it has to come from you.
It’s a modified trimester+1 course-at-a-time system. It’s very flexible: it means you take 3 courses during 12 weeks, then one course only during 3 weeks. The 3-week course can be abroad, or can be an internship, etc.
Creative Writing is very good and personalized. They offer Nonfiction AND Screenwriting in addition to the traditional fiction and poetry seminars.
First semester, you’ll have, first, all the required background classes: Literary studies, Foreign language (buy “English grammar for students of French/Spanish…” it’ll help you in both languages; even if you can “place out” of a foreign language, try and take the upper level courses, because you’ll learn so much as a writer from struggling with another language and its structure + about other ways of thinking, cultures, etc.), and the interdisciplinary First Year Colloquium. Basically, you’ll read and write in different genres and from many different traditions and you’ll think about language. Once you have these pre-reqs done, you have a 3-week intensive course on the foundations of creative writing where you have to incorporate what you’ve learned and make it yours.
Second semester, you have a semester-long Craft&Techniques course, an interdisciplinary Freshman seminar, and Foreign language (hopefully, at the 4th semester level; or, take a course in literature from another culture, in translation).
To do well in that major, go to all plays and all films presented on campus, both from the relevant departments and blockbusters as well as read voraciously in all formats (from Persepolis to The new kids to Elegance of the Hedgehog…)
Try to see with your adviser whether you can study abroad Fall or Spring of Junior year, as the experience will bring depth to your writing and allow you to write (blog, travellogue) in ways you can’t if you just stay on campus.
https://www.hiram.edu/academics/majors-minors/creative-writing/program/
- It means starting with "Dear Professor Z..." and ending with "Thank you. Sincerely, FirstName LastName"
Hey, thank you for sending that. I’ve sent in my enrollment fee, and I’ve registered for the orientation. I’m working on making friends on campus before I get there. The people I’ve talked to there have seemed really nice.